Valve mechanism for oil burners and the like



Nov. 2o, 1928.

Jv. H. MCILVAINE VALVE MECHANISM FOR OIL BURNERS AND THE LIKE A Filed AAug. 2:5, 1926Y lPatented Nov. 20, 19,28.

UNITED STAT-Es- PATENT OFFICE.

.Tomi n. qmvmaor maro-nner, ILLruoIs.

VALVE Meenemen ron on. 3mm im rim Lnm.

Application led August 2 3, 1926. Serialll'o. 130,885.

This invention relates to valves generally and is more particularly concerned with a novel safety trip or shut-oil valve especially designed-.for use with oilburners but capable of other applications.

The principal object is to provide an improved and simplified valve which is positive in its operation, is capable of simple adjustment to secure the desired degree of sensitiveness, and is unaii'ected b ordinary changes in temperature or humi ity 0r the particular conditions under which the valve may be made to operate, which oftentimes impaired or even prevented the proper operation of devices of\ this kind provided for the pur ose of shutting oli' the fuel supplj;1 for oil' urners.

Another' object is to provide a valve of the character described eliminating all springs and embodying few parts constructed in a simple manner, capable of production at small cost, vand not apt to get out of order or require any specialattention after installation.

2 6 The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a side view of my improved valve illustrated in connection with a centrifugal oil pump and air blower forming part of an o1] burning apparatus; o

Fig. 2 is a plan view the valve 'on an enlarged scale with the shield therefor appearing in section; and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional detail taken on the line 3 3 of' Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding arts in the three views.

In illustrating -t e trip or shut-off valve of 5 my invention I have shown the same at 10 1 as mounted on a bracket A-11 carried by a main supporting. frame 12 which serves as Y an adjustable support for a centrifu l oil pump v13 and air blower fan 14. is ari rangement is in accordance with the disclosure in my co nding application Serial No. 679,467, le December 8, 1923. As -described in said ap lication the `frame 12 is adjustable verticali;r -on posts v15 to position the pump and blower at the desired elevation with Arespect to the fire-pot of the furnace.- -Oil is delivered to the .pump 13 from a float chamber 16 through a pipe 17. and is arranged to be fed under va. constant pressure through thev pipe 1S to the fire-pot. At the same time alr is delivered in the proper` proaortions through the -conduit .19 extending rom the blower 14. It will suffice for the present purposes to) state that the oil is delivered to the float amber 16 through a pipe 20 from agravify tank or other source but that such fluid communication is arranged to be shut olf in an emergency as may arise for example by the flame 1n the furnace being extinguished. For

-this purpose the needle valve orother equivalent element in -the float chamber 16 has the stem or some from 'the float chamber,as shown at 21, an

arranged to be depressed to shut oil' communication between the pipe 20 and the float part aixed thereto projectin chamber 16. in' an emergency such as that A named. In the case of the flame of the burner being extinguished, overflow fuel will be conducted through a pi4 22 from the burner to a trip bucket orot er suitable pan 24 from the pump or its stand-pi or from the float chamber 16, all of whic are arranged over the pan 24. This leakage into the pan is conducted to the recetacle 23 through the iple 25 to 'bring about the shutting of'o t e valve 10. In the case of the float chamber, there is little likelihood of a lodging of any of the valve parts therein which would result in the failure of the valve during normal operation. In fact, the valve -pro r in thefloat chamber is floating norma l and has-no stuing bo'x or bearing in whic moves freely up and down as the fuel level changes in the lation of the ame. However,- if the v ve should.. fail to close p'operly when 'the level in the oat chamr has risen to the proper int so that fuel would overflow into the gein pan 24 binding might occur but,

receptacle 23. There is also aipossibility of excessive leakage or overow into. the drain it is apparent that the loading of the' bucket 23 would bring about the shutting' of of the fuel feedcin the same ,wa'y as an overflow loo fromthe repot. The details of the novel the lever 26, asshown-at 29, and a counter-- Wighfi 30 Sl said lever w 'ch approximately counterbalances the .bucket exce t when the latterA i8 loaded with oil. The ever26 extemk dirovided on the other end of auxiliary-means is providedfto insure the the set screw 36 rectlyover the valve stem 21'and is arranged to depress-the same when the lever is tilted by the loading of the .bucket 23. An

complete closing of the valve by the lever 26. This comprises a hammer' element or other weighted member 31 arranged to drop onto the leverv26 at the proper time and by reason of the blow tovinsure definitely that the valve closing movement will be completed. The weighted member 31 has a forked portion 32 straddling the lever 26 and pivoted therewith at 27. The outer or head portion 33 is forked as indicated at 34 to drop astride the lever 26, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and thus make the full weight of the element eective in the closing of the valve. LA lateral extension or arm 35 is provided on the forked portion 32 of the hammer ,element in which an adjustable set screw 3'6' is threaded and arranged to ,engage the lever 26. The adjustment of determines the sensitiveness of the trip mechanism as a whole. and the same may be fixed in its adjusted condition by a lock nut 37.

In operation the .hammer element 31 is normally raised to its cocked position, as shownin full lines in Fig. 1. In this dead ly all of the weight center pos1tion practical s of the element is borne by the pivot 27. The

lever 26 is therefore unencumbered .and 1s f be subjected closed the valve 4oat chamber 16.

' rags, waste,

perfectly free to tilt under the loading of the bucket 23 by leakage, overflow, or excess feed of fuel. According to the adjustment of the screw 36 the hammer element 31 will be tripped and fallto the dotted line position after. a certain amount of oil has entered the bucket. The dropping of the hammer element is usually so timed as to occur when the lever 26 has engaged or has partly by depression of the stem 21. The blow of the hammer element merely serves to complete the closing of the valve and is a definite insurance against haphazard operation. It will be obvious that the resetting of the trip mechanism lis a very simple matter. Themere act of rais- Ving the hammer element 31 to the cocked position moves mal position. established between .It will be apparent that the valve of my :invention eliminates all springs and em-y bodies' very fewv simplified 'construction and will require no parts which are all` of attention after installation. What moving parts are employed occur in such form as to ybeffpractically unaffected by any ordinary operatingy conditionsto which the valve may in service. ,For the purpose of the possibility of laying tools,

etc., on the trip mechanism and from fallpreventing incidentally to 4protect the same ing dbris soot, dust, and dirtI prefer to provide a shield 38 which has a top span 39 affording protection from above, a side span 40 affording protection from the side, and a front span 41 affording protection on the furnace side. The shield 38 is suitably secured to the yoke 28 by the pivot bolt 27, as shown in Fig. 3, and has a part bearing against the bracket 11 for support, as shown at 42. Obviously theopen side of the shield affords easy Aaccess to the hammer element 31 for setting the valve and to the set screw 36 for adjusting the same.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clear understanding of the invention and .of its purposes and advantages and while but a single working embodiment has been illustrated it should be understood that certain changes might be made in details of construction as well as arrangement withot departing from thev spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim: l. shut-oit valve of the character described comprising a lever pivoted intermediate its ends, said lever having a counterweight on one side of its pivot, a normally empty receptacle supported by said lever on the other side of its pivot and arran loaded in a certain eventuality, said receptacle when empty being approximately countcrbalanced by said weight, a valve member to be operated when said receptacle is loaded, anda weighted member for operfating the same, said weighted member being pivoted and arranged to be raised to a dead center cocked position, and having a part lmoved by said lever as the same is tilted by the load of said receptacle whereby to cause said weighted member to drop and thereby operate said valve member, the parts being so arranged that the movement of the weight memberto cocked position brings the lever with its counter-weight to normal position. 2. In av device of the character described, the. combination with a casing having a valve operating stem projecting therefrom and arranged to be depressed to close fluid communication with said casing, of an operating lever pivotally supported intermediate its ends and projecting over said stem to depress the latter, a normally empty receptacle supported on said lever and arranged to be loaded in a certain -eventuality, a counterweight provided on said lever on the opposite side of its pivot from said receptacle arranged to balance the weight of the latter except when the same is loaded, and a weighted member pivot-ally mounted adjacent said lever arranged to be set in a raised cocked position and to be tripped by said lever as the latter is tilted in the loading of said receptacle, said weighted member being thereby caused to drop onto said lever j v over the valve operating stem to insure the Vdepression of the latter.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2, including an arm on said weighted member having a portion thereof extending over said level',

and an adjustable set screw extending through said arm and engaging said lever.

4. In a shut-ofi' valve of the character described, the combination of a valve operating lever pivoted intermediate its ends on.

a support, a fluid receptacle suspended from one end of said lever, a Weight provided on the other end of said lever counterbalancing the weight of said receptacle except when the latter Vis loaded, and a hammer element for delivering a blow onto said valve operating leverV on the receptacle side of the pivot thereof to insure avalve closing movement of said lever wheny said receptacle becomes loaded to a certain de ree, said hammer element comprising a orked portion straddling said lever and having a lateral extension projecting over'said lever for operation thereby.

5. A shut-olf valveas set forth in claim 4,

including an adjustable set screw on said lateral extension for engaging said lever to determine the cocked position of said hammer element. 4

6. A shut-off valve as set forth in claim 4,

' wherein the hammer element has a forked head portion to .fall astride said valve operating lever.

7 In a device of the character described, the combination with a casinghaving a valve operating part projecting therefrom, of an operating lever pivotally. supported adjacent said casing, a receptacle supported by said lever on one side of its pivot and arranged to receive fluid to cause the operation of said operating lever and valve operating ypart, a

' counterweight on said lever on the other side .to said hammer element for raising the samev to its cocked position, said hammer element and said operating lever bein that the operation of the, ormer to its cocked position also operates the latter to its normally inoperative position.

. 8. In a shut-off valve mechanism,'the combination with a casing having a valve operating stein projecting therefrom and jarranged to be .depressedfjof' an operating so arranged lever pivotallymountedso as to project over said stem to depress the latter, la trip bucket supported on said lever, said lever tending to occupy a normal position balancing the empty bucket, and a drop weight pivotally mounted adjacent said lever arranged to be set in a raised eockedposition and to be tripped by said lever when the latter is tilted due to the loading of said-bucket, said weight being thereby' caused, to drop onto said lever over the valve operating stem to insure the depression of the latter.

9. A device as set forth in'claim 8 including a shield enclosing said lever and drop weight but permitting ,access to the latter so that the same may be raised to cocked position. l

10. In a shut-olf valvemechanism the combination with a casing having a valve operating stem projecting therefrom and ari' ranged to be depressed, of an operating lever pivotall mounted so as to project over said stem to yepress the latter, atrip bucket supported on said lever, and a drop weight pivot-ally mounted adjacent saidlever andv arranged to be set ina raised cocked position Where it tends to. kee

L the leverv in a normal position balancing t e empty bucket, said weight being arranged to be tripped by said lever when the latter is tilted due to the loading of said bucket and being thereby caused to drop onto said lever over the valve operating stem to-insure positive depression of the latter.

11. A device as set forth in claim 10 includinfr an arm on said drop weight having a portion thereof extending over said lever,

and an adjustable set screw extending throu h said arm and engaging said lever where y the cockedposition of said weight is adjustable.

12. A device as set forth in claim 10 wherein the drop weight has a forked head end. arranged to fall astri ating lever. L i, l13. In a valve mechanism, the combination with a valve to be operated, of an operating lever swingable to operate the yvalve, a trip bucket supported on said lever,

said lever tending to occupy a normal position balancing the empty bucket, a drop wight pivotally mounted adjacent the lever de said valve opgrarranged to be set in a raised cocked posi-A tion and to be tripped by said lever whenthe:

ue to the loading of saidi arts mentioned against aecilatter-is tilted bucket', and .a-shield forprotecting at leastl some of the r dental operation of the mechanism but permitting access -thereto 'to permit raisingof the drop weight to cocked position. my sig-l In witness of the foregoing I ax nature. n t

JOHN H. MGILVAINE. 

